Drawing the Line
The sun was just beginning to creep up on the Horizon on Commodore Island, a small island on the edge of West Blue. The people of the island hadn't woken up yet, and but for one not a single soul stirred. Torvalds D. Linus laid on the top of the hill looking over his home town. The young man sat upon the hill, staring at the fading night sky as the first rays of the sun began to burn away at the stars. "Guess this is goodbye Mom. I'm leaving today, setting out on my adventure. I'll try to visit if I can, but the world is a big place." The youth said to his mother as there were hints of tears in his eyes. "I'm glad old Joe took me on, I made just enough money to get away and get these sabres. Already got the boat packed and all my goodbyes said. I'm going to go fulfill our dreams Mom, be more than the poor farmers that we are now. Next time you see me, I'll be standing on top of the world, ya know? Everyone here, they won't be able to laugh anymore, I swear it." Linus took a deep ragged breath as he started to stand up. The young man placed a bouquet of flowers on his mother as he turned towards the town once more. "Wish me luck Mom, I'll make you proud. But I have to get going, otherwise I might not want to leave." Linus turned back one more time, taking in the sight before he started to move, "So goodbye Mom, get your rest. I'll see you again one day." Finishing his goodbyes, the young man headed back to town, leaving the hill and his mother's grave behind. ---- A few changes of clothes, a couple weeks of food, his two weapons, and a small boat. Linus looked at everything he had to his name. The young man had worked for three months to save up, and now that he had made his final purchases, he rattled the 1000 he had in his pocket, the last of his money. "As much as I hate this place I'll definitely miss it." Linus sighed as he took one last look at his home town. He had spent his entire life here, and it seemed almost surreal to leave it. "Wait!" An old voice shouted as he began to turn away. "Don't you dare leave without saying goodbye Linus." "Sorry Mrs. Jones..." Linus turned as he turned back to the woman, "I just wanted to leave before this got any harder." "That's no excuse and you know it. So take this as your apology." She said as she held out a basket. "You're a stubborn one, you know that?" Linus chuckled as he ruffled his hair before walking over and taking the basket. The old woman just smiled. "Now you can leave Linus, do Mary proud." The young man smiled, "I wouldn't dream of anything else." The old woman smiled silently as Linus hit the seas, his boat looking tiny against the ocean. For better or worse, that young man was throwing himself at the world. You Know The Drill The has, since always, remained a powerful superpower all throughout the seas. It had gained a significant reputation even in the New World, because of its involvement with the previous Pirate King; Monkey D. Luffy. It is because of that very same fact that the country had focused most of its efforts in the New World. While the rest of its troops remained inside the country, protecting it from any outside attacks, while the weaker soldiers, or those that weren’t ready for the difficulty of the New World, patrolled around the West. Han Solo, member of the was going through the typical route that the soldiers, the disposable ones, went through. Although competent, he was still nowhere near the level of their members in the New World, or the Royal Guard of their Empress. He and his crew members were to scout out any possible attacks from neighboring countries, just in case, or instigation from Marines. Solo gazed at the clear, blue sky, or so it would appear, as he placed his hands firmly on the hard wood of the ship’s railings. He took in the raw smell of the sea, and the sound of its waves, coupled with the songs his comrades performed to uplift spirit. It was more than enough for him to build a mental picture that his eyes could not. His thin lips curved slightly as he imagined how this very particular moment looked like. Why was Solo going through this routine? It was a question that many had asked and by looking at the boy, one would be able to infer the reason. He was a boy with straight, golden hair that was distinguishable as well as very fair skin. His outfit, akin to a kimono, was the only “Kano-ish” trait about the boy. However, the most important trait, was, without a doubt, his eyes, covered by bandages. Did…he not want to see? "Solo what are yer starin’ at? You can’t see anythin’ anyways!." Solo tapped his finger on the railing of the ship, before turning to face the man. He came closer towards him. One, two steps without even stuttering. Even though he could no see him, he could still sense his movements, his and those of every living creature in the boat. "I am fine. Even if this is not a serious mission, we should still carry it out with as much discipline as we ca-" As said before, Solo could sense movements. Those that came from his comrades, animals, and those from the waves. And he sensed something nearby, causing him to turn around almost immediately. The water surrounding the ship shook vigorously, forming a ripple. The entire fleet of men’s chants of gloriousness became those of sadness as from the water, a beast came out, towering over the ship and everyone in it. It had dark scales, and its neck was as long as a Giant’s torso. It bared its teeth at the soldiers, roaring so powerfully that it shook in its entirety. Several men were sent flying out of the ship from that single warning, while others hastily jumped out, believing that staying in their vessel was a lost cause. A few brave ones, attempted to use their hasshoken, and cannons to attack the beast, but it was all for naught, as the massive swallowed their attack with an even more powerful roar. The scream of a conqueror, that subdued every man in the ship, and inevitably, led to their deaths. "RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!", "SAVE YOURSELVES!" Is all that could be heard as the majority tried to swim away from the monster, only to find themselves in the “Sea King’s” grasp Solo crossed his arms over his head, the scream’s reverberations causing his entire being too billow in the wind. Yet he remained planted on the ground, moving only a few inches back unwillingly. Sweat fell from his temples, yet his expression remained neutral, showing almost no signs of change. He gritted his teeth, as he felt his comrades’ screams subsiding and their anxious steps as well. Placing his palms in front of his chest and getting into a deep-rooted stance, Solo furrowed his brows, preparing himself for what might become the fight of his life. "I will defend this ship, with all I have!" ---- Huff, huff, huff. Day had become night, and only Solo’s battered breathing could be heard, along with the calm, waves of the sea. It rocked the damaged vessel softly and it made creaking sounds as it travelled. Solo frowned as he ran a hand through his hair. It had lost all its shine, and marks of blood found themselves in his forehead. He laid there, in the middle of the ship, "looking" at the night sky. "Will you forgive me, comrades?" He asked himself. Somehow Solo found himself alone, on a battered ship belonging to the Happo Navy. His ship had no destination, or at least he didn’t think so. It had all happened so fast. So fast that even now. As he laid on the floor, he had no time to process it all. And therefore had no plan. He felt much like his ship. Destroyed, and with nowhere to go. He had no idea either of how he had survived, every time he began to reminisce of what happened a couple of hours ago, his head ached painfully. He felt as the movement of the sea’s waves changed, but made no note of it, instead remaining a prisoner of his own mind. "I guess not. I wouldn’t forgive me either…" Solo lost himself in his own thoughts until, a sudden movement of his ship caused him to awaken. CRASH The front part of the vessel made contact with something hard, like rock. It shattered into pieces and with an aching body, Solo walked to the front part of the ship. Crouching down, he touched the material which his ship had crashed with, confirming that it was indeed stone, and from the voices that could be heard nearby, he assumed he had crashed into an island’s border. Slowly, he grabbed the ship’s anchor and threw it into the island, the anchor barely digging into the stone as it made a loud, clinging sound. Although his grieving would not stop, Solo realized that, at least, he would need to find a place to sleep. It would be almost impossible to return to Kano under his ship’s conditions. With a slow pace, Solo limped towards where the noise was most prominent. His foot creaked on the wooden floor, as he entered an establishment in the town. It was loud, yet the sound that was most abundant were unexplainable moans of…joy? This coupled with the delicious smells that the place seemed to give up led the disoriented Solo to believe that it was a restaurant. "Donatelli-san! This food is delicious! H-how do you even make this?" a voice exclaimed loudly. "Hahaha! It's a secret!" A flamboyant man danced around the restaurant, holding plates with drinks. His movements were swift, gracious. He served a drink here, took a plate there, took pictures then, he was all over the place. His attire was as immaculate as the restaurant himself, wearing tux that definitely costed more than some people do in their lifetime. His light blue hair was praised even more so than the food being served in their plates. Having his attention focused on the entire restaurant, as he made his way back into the kitchen, he picked up something. Someone had entered his establishment, not only ignoring the dress code but also, the rumbling of his stomach could be heard to the man as a tired orchestra playing the most out of tune melodies right beside him. Before the kitchen door closed, Donatelli Sinclair had somehow appeared right in front of the confused young man. With a plate of delicious entrees on his hands, he motioned it to the stranger, "young fellow, are you lost?" Sinclair asked with a kind, warm smile, unaware of Solo's circumstances. "I..." the smell of the various plates assailed his nose which was the last thing his body registered before he fell to the floor with a loud thud. "Ay, ay, ay." Sinclair whistled to some waiters nearby. "Take the boy to the back, I'll be there in a few." Solo now sat in a huge room, with a table in front of him, a huge one. It was filled with various plated with delicious food of various kinds. Sinclair snapped his fingers in order to make the boy wake up if ever so slightly. "Hey, young one, eat up, please. I wouldn't want you dying in my restaurant, would I?" He said with a smile, as he waved a cup of wine on his hand. "When you recover your strength, please, tell me about you, and how you finished in this state." The man seemed very kind, in fact, he was. But a slight hint of darkness, of his other self, loomed inside. Begrudgingly and slowly, Solo opened his eyes, gazing at the many different foods that were laid in front of him. The smells, colors and overall aura he fell emanating from the dishes would've made even the strictest of palates to succumb. After much staring, his visage turned to the smiling man nearby the table. Solo appeared surprised as he analyzed the man. His entire being; posture, smile and tone, denoted kindness, perhaps a little too much. Although this was something Solo kept in the back of his mind, as he managed to grumble the worlds "Thank you..." quietly before he began eating. Quickly, but not enough so that others in the restaurant would assume an animal was feasting. Coughing after drinking a little too much water, Solo cleared his throat, finally being ready to speak. "My ship broke down, it wasn't strong enough to handle the voyage. My intentions were set on getting out of West Blue." he said, his expression serious. During his meal, he had plenty of time to think out what he'd say. Who would believe him if he said a Sea King had attacked? Plus, the Happo Navy did trigger some conflicts sometime. "Thanks for not letting me die out there, sir." he said softly, as he continued to dine. His clothes were incredibly tattered, and dirty, and Solo tried to restrict his movements so that he wouldn't ruin any parts of the restaurant. Sinclair observed the young man with a smile on his face. He wondered, how long was it since he had a decent meal? The young man tried to contain himself, however, Sinclair saw through it, after all, he knew the face of a starving person. “Planning to leave West Blue?” He chuckled. “You shipwrecked halfway through, and you intend to continue onwards the dangerous stretch of ocean known as the ?” The man stood up, and fetched a small plate for himself. “I know how unforgiving that sea is, boy. I just came back from “business” there not too long ago.” Sinclair fiddled with his fingers, his eyes switching around the food plates, until finally they settled down straight on Solo. “I’d be best to reconsider. I just saved and fed you, hence why I feel it is my responsibility to warn you, kid.” He crossed his legs. “I can offer you a job if you so desire, and you’ll live your life save from danger, I’ll make sure of it.” "I appreciate the offer," Solo paused, as he grabbed a cup and drank its contents vigorously before continuing. "But there is something that I must do at all costs, even if it costs me my life." he answered bluntly. "I know this is asking a lot but do you have any clothes I could borrow, then I'll be on my way." Sinclair scratched his chin, looking at the determined boy. He called a waiter, and whispered something in his ear, to which he nodded and went away. He smiled at Solo, "Come, before you leave," he showed Solo to a door leading to a hidden guest room and a bath. "Freshen up, and rest. I'll have a small boat and supplies for you ready first thing in the morning. Do not rush, young one." The host stood up, and commenced to walk away, but before leaving, he turned to Solo once more. Knowing the boy would wonder why he was being so kind, he smiled and addressed him. "I'm bound by the rules of Xenia to aid a guest as much as I can." He walked closer to Solo, and handed him a paper. "That's a … It will point out to me, no matter where you find yourself in the world. "The bonds we create are the strongest power of all.", third rule of Xenia." He winked, and walked away. On the paper, the four main rules of this "Xenia" were written, as a token for the young man. "Xenia..." Solo looked at the paper he was handed, and read its contents with the same hunger he had demonstrated whilst eating. "Tha-" when he looked up, Sinclair had disappeared. "What a strange man..." Solo remarked as he took a deep sigh and laid in the bed. It was awfully comfortable, though that was to be expected of a restaurant of such caliber. Soon enough, he would get into the much needed bath, and go to bed, wondering how he'd be received at home. ---- At the first sign of Sunrise, Solo prepared himself to leave. He had taken yet another wonderful bath, as he still felt dirty, even after the first one, he dried his hair with a nearby towel, watching it fall down to his forehead in its usual fashion. Folding his old clothes and placing them in a bag, Solo looked over at the clothing Sinclair had left him, analyzing it with curious eyes. It appeared to be a dark blue suit, and shoes, and although he questioned its comfort, when he ran his finger through the soft, unusually silky coat, he decided to give it a try. Putting on his new attire, Solo crouched down, and was able to do it with ease. "He really is good at what he does." he said, thinking of Sinclair. Grabbing the small paper the man had given him, and placing it inside his coat, Solo headed off to the dock, where his ship and supplies were waiting for him. ---- "All right, now where am I..." Linus mumbled to himself as he stared at the map he had pulled out of his rucksack. An island had appeared in the distance and the young man was sailing his small fishing sloop straight towards it. The boat ostensibly seated six, but to Linus it felt cramped on the three days he had sailed along the sea. "Less Camps?" He shrugged to himself as he flipped the map around, looking at it right side up this time. "Well, not like I have much choice, don't have enough food to bypass the place." The sloop slid through the water, the quick ship seeming to almost glide as it came into the docks. Tying his little sloop up to the smallest one, "Well, this is a charming enough place." Linus grinned as he stared at the town, the young man climbing up onto the dock as he tied his boat off. Linus was almost in a daze as he walked.down the dock, looking at the new place. He had never left home before, and before today had never set foot on a different island than Commodore. As he reached land he broke from his stupor, taking a deep breath of the new air. "Now that that is out of the way, I should probably get my stuff from the boa..." Linus grinned as he turned around to see his sloop sliding away from the docks, four thugs manning the ship. They were already too far to jump after, and he knew that he couldn't swim. "Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap!" The young man panicked for a second as he thought of a plan. They were too far away for him to guarantee the jump, and he had no desire to drown. Which meant he needed to find a boat. Linus sprinted from dock to dock, his sabres rattling at his hip. Most were occupied or too big for him to hope to steal, however, one tub had enough promise for him to go with it. He pulled one of his sabres, earning a glare from the surrounding sailors. Two swift strikes cut a chevron into the deck, an arrow pointing at the aft of the ship. A second strike was all he needed as he sliced the rope tying the ship to the dock, stepping through the arrow an instant afterwards. Most of the onlookers didn't even see him move, as one second he was on the deck of the boat, the second his feet were planted on the aft of he ship, his weight and speed pushing the ship out from the dock as he began to chase his boat to regain it from the thugs. Solo walked calmly to the dock, with the events from yesterday still clouding his mind. Sinclair had described the ship perfectly to him, so it'd be impossible to miss, which was exactly why, Solo was alarmed when he saw the vessel under the reigns of a single man, who somehow, had managed to make the ship move. "Tch." a grunt escaped Solo's mouth, as he began to run, with surprising athleticism towards the ship. When he had reached the ends of the dock, he took a single jump, releasing vibrations as he did so, which impulsed him into the ship. Rolling across the deck, to soften his landing, Solo stepped through a peculiar area, which took him exactly to where the thief was. "What are you doing..." he asked, his eyes glazed on the man. "Trying to get my boat back," Linus announced loudly as he unfurled the sails, leading the ship to leap forward across the bay. "Jackasses stole it, I'm stealing it back. Gonna return this boat once I'm done... We've moved enough that my arrow shouldn't have hit the boat..." He said as he turned to the new addition to the boat. "How'd you even get here..."